Improved clothes-pin



geiten gtst-rs ste-nt @frn WiLLIAM M. oo'rv; or New Yoan, Y., assieNoR To R.. e. BROWNING,

or SAME PLAGE.

Inraovrn oLoTH-EsfrINf.

fett Stlphnle match tu. ilrtipst trtrrs @man mit mating part nf tige 5min.

'rovALL WHOM IT MAY CON-CERN;

Be it known that :[,WILLIAM M. DOTY, of New York, in the county andkState of New Yorkhave invented a. certain new and improved Clothes-Pin, and I vherebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 'l isa perspective view of my limprovedclothes-pin, and

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section ofthe samc,showing the'pin in two positions upon aclot-hes-line.'

My invention, Vwhich essentially differs from ordinary forked clothes-pins, as well as those formed of hinged jaws, forced together by means of springs, consists of a clothes-pin., composed of alhook, or equivalent device, for fitting or catching upon the clothes-line, combined wita a wedge or tapering block, to which it is attached by a. slidingvconnectiou, 'undersnchan arrangementthat, hy'forcing the wedge towards the line upon which-the hook is placed, thc said line shall be held or compressed between fthe 'hook and inclined face of the saidwedge, in thcmanner hereinafter set forth. Y

The combined hook and wedge or tapering block upon which' the hook slides may be constructed in various ways, without departing from the principle of my invention. I prefer, however, .the construction and arrangement of parts shown in the drawings, to which I.will now refer, in order to describe more particularly the manner in which my invention isoi may bc`carricd into effect.

The hook A is formed of a single piece of wire, made of galvanized-iron, or ,other material not liableto beeomerusted or corroded, or otherwise injuriously affected, by exposure to we f The wire is bent inthe shape shown in iig. 1, so as to form a skeleton hook,.and the ends of the wire which form the shank ofthe hooli: straddlc a wedge or taperingiblock, B, andareisecuredtogether by me'ans-ota metal'plate orstrap, a, which passes through a slot, I), in the wedge. The slot extends throughout the greater part ofthe 'length ofthe wedge, in a direction parallel to the straight side e of the wedge. That portion of the hook which catches upon the line projects a suitable distance in advance of the inclined face d of`the wedge; and as the plate or strapa, which holds the hook in position upon the wedge, is capable-of sliding freely in the longitudinal slot Z7, the said wedge may be raised or lowered, so to contract- 0.r enlarge the space included between the hook and the inclined face d. This is shown more clearly inig. 2,.where the wedge is-shown in two positions. v

Whenthe wedge is raised, so as -to remove the inclined face d to its' greatest .distance from the hook, the latter can be placed over the line, C, or clothes hung upon such line, without trouble. The wedge is then forced down, the gradual swell or increase in the size of the wedge contractingthe space included between it and the liooli', until, by the time it has reached the position indicated in` redA lines, the line, 0,-vwillvb'e compressed and held tightly between the hook and ine-lined face ofthe wevdge.- It' at any time itisdesired to release the line,

or clothes suspended upon it, the wedge can be raised, and the whole device removed from the line with perfect p facility, as will be understood` without further explanation.

The wedge or tapering block may befmade of wood or other suitablematerial. The hookA should be made, preferably, of galvanized iron', and maybe of any suitable form-desired. vThe method, however., of forming a wire skeleton hook, is productiveyof considerable advantage. Ordinary clothes-pins are apt to freeze. tightly in cold weather to the clothes, and oftentimes cannot be removedrthcrefrom without great dithculty. Butno such. trouble can arise from the use of my improved clothes-pin, foi` the open or skeleton frame of which the hooklis composed offers but little surface to which-the clothes can adhere, andthe wedge, besides, can be operated with such facility as to enable the hook at any time to be removed from the line.

As above -indieated, the construction .of the clothes-pin which I haveshown may be variously modified,

without departing from the principle of my invention- I do not limit myself, therefore, to the precise details of construction herein specified but having described myinvention,

What I claim, and desire to securcfby Letters Patent'isf 1. A clothes-pin,composed of acombined hook and wedge, arranged for operation substantially as herein described, so that.by forcing down the-wedge, the ropeor. line upon which the hookis placed will bejammed and held tightly between the said wedge and the hook, as andfor`the purposes set forth.

i'. The combination, with the slotted wedge, of the skeleton wire hook, having the vends which straddle the wedge united by a strip or plate, fitting'and capable of sliding-within the slotin the said wedge, substantially as aud for the purposes set forth.v l

In testimony whereof, I have signed'rny name to-this specifcationbcforeytwo subscribing witnesses.

' WM. M. Dors'.

Witnesses:

A. PoLLoit, M. BAILEY, 

